How do we attract more young people to the world of early 911's?

[flatsixer aka rstarga Find all posts View Profile Close flatsixer]

Forget Porsches, kids today aren't even interested in having sex! They don't have any down time between the pressure to excel in school and the time they spend with their snouts in their mobile phone.
One needs to have an idle mind and time to fantasize, my grandkids are either in school, doing homework for hours or participating in sports, by the time they get home they collapse.
Too much pressure to succeed because only the very top have a chance at getting into the best universities. They have to build their resumé.
And of course the cars are so expensive today.

[Frank Beck Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Frank Beck]

They don't have any down time between the pressure to excel in school and the time they spend with their snouts in their mobile phone.
One needs to have an idle mind and time to fantasize, my grandkids are either in school, doing homework for hours or participating in sports, by the time they get home they collapse.
Too much pressure to succeed because only the very top have a chance at getting into the best universities. They have to build their resumé.

David,
Most kids today have plenty of “down time” and will choose to spend it in a manner that’s most important to them. I.E; Their devices, friends, sports, hobbies, etc.

As for “getting into the best universities”? Why? For a career? That may end up doing more harm than good in regard to their moral integrity and character.

[nvr2mny]

No doubt about the comment on Universities and their teaching. PM me if you desire to know how 250k will get you a socialist in return.

[nvr2mny 69E 3.2MFI Find all posts View Profile Close nvr2mny]

Lots of good points, and posts here.

I agree with Rick, I too make a point to ask folks that show an interest if they want a ride. Kids especially (after getting their parents permission) You should see the smiles on their faces after getting the visceral experience of riding in an old built 930 or our Beck (not Frank) GTS. For any of this to happen, we have to be out driving our cars.

My company is the largest vendor to the Big Brothers & Big Sisters here in KC. While I am not currently “a big” it has me thinking how partnering with them in some sort of “ride day” in conjunction with our local PCA club would make a kid, especially the kids that need bigs, would be a real joy for them.

Funny thing about serving, the “server” often gets more joy by serving than the one being served. I know of an amazing example in that arena.

I also agree with Mr. Beck (the great Frank one). I’d rather know “you” and what “really” matters than about what you temporarily own.

Get out and drive man & woman!!

[Frank Beck Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Frank Beck]

Doug and Rick, I commend you for “giving rides”. One of my principal beliefs is there’s no point of having a passenger in a performance car unless I can scare the holy crap out of them. Especially customers.
My wife might be the exception because the consequences are grave.

[flatsixer aka rstarga Find all posts View Profile Close flatsixer]

I've taken my 15 year old grand daughter with me on the last two Hill country events and she has had a great time, she is now excited about her drivers license.
I was really into horses at 15, then a friend of mine "borrowed" his fathers conrero modified 1959 Giuletta Sprint rallye car. Incredibly long gearing, 8k red line or something like that, intoxicating smell of fuel....I was hooked!
Forgot horses, bought Piero Taruffi's book on performance driving and started to practice double clutching and heel and toeing in my Moms fiat 500. Later I actually got to meet him and tell him that story to his great amusement.

[wkershaw993 2.0L Find all posts View Profile Close wkershaw993]

I, like seb, am also part of the exception to the rule.
I am also in my early 20's, have an addiction to air-cooled 911's, but have grown up with a father who has owned air-cooled Porsches since I was 4. Maybe that's where I became infected.

Young people can be converted in to Porsche fans especially if they are already car fans. I know one of my friends had never bothered to pay much attention to the early cars until he started experiencing them and then he "got it". I agree that this group needs more young people to participate. It would encourage to current youngsters to continue to participate in the community. Unfortunately, I lack ideas about how to recruit more. Maybe the lack of seeing them on the road? In the midwest you have to put in an effort to see early cars. Rarely are they ever seen on the road.

I also think the maintenance and lack of refinement (compared to todays cars) are a turn off to many. Especially for a generation that, in my opinion, is more technically oblivious than others. Not to mention the lack of Instagram likes old Porsches get relative to the newest super cars

The upside to the lack of interest is that I'll be able to afford more

[raspritz 2.0L Find all posts View Profile Close raspritz]

Well, for a start, young kids don't read old-school bulletin boards like this one. Even my adult kids don't. Every summer I show some kind of cool (to me) racecar at our local free car show. Lots of kids come, and I offer all of them the opportunity to sit in the car and fire it up. About half take me up on the offer; the other half are too shy. But that said, every year the "Best in Show" and "People's Choice" awards go to some modern skirted-up wannabe I wouldn't even accept as a gift as I'd have to pay the taxes.

[np 2.0L Find all posts View Profile Close np]

as the dad of two young kids, I've noticed that their enthusiasm for our 911 is directly tied to the fact that they've helped 'restore it.' (I had one of them helping me reinstall the blower control light bulb this weekend because he could lie down in the car without removing the seat, and his hands are small enough to reach behind the lower dash. he had a great time doing it even though it took us awhile lol.)

a few of my close friends have air-cooled 911s and also have young kids, and the common theme is getting them connected to the cars by letting them wash the car, working on small projects with them, taking them on drives, etc. so at least in my limited experience, the hook is getting our kids/grandkids hands-on time working with the cars and making a connection with them.

[Frank Beck Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Frank Beck]

as the dad of two young kids, I've noticed that their enthusiasm for our 911 is directly tied to the fact that they've helped 'restore it.' (I had one of them helping me reinstall the blower control light bulb this weekend because he could lie down in the car without removing the seat, and his hands are small enough to reach behind the lower dash. he had a great time doing it even though it took us awhile lol.)

a few of my close friends have air-cooled 911s and also have young kids, and the common theme is getting them connected to the cars by letting them wash the car, working on small projects with them, taking them on drives, etc. so at least in my limited experience, the hook is getting our kids/grandkids hands-on time working with the cars and making a connection with them.

For those in the Phoenix area with youngsters: PLEASE feel free to drop them off during the summer. We’ll teach them all kinds of things. What kind of things? We’ll start with

“This is a broom”.

View it as a summer parks and rec program.

[np 2.0L Find all posts View Profile Close np]

We’ll start with

“This is a broom”.

haha they love sweeping. if I lived near Phoenix, I’d drop them off…

[CVLC 2.0L Find all posts View Profile Close CVLC]

Great question JP! I have always considered myself an outlier. I bought my first 911 (1975 ROW base 911 Coupe) when I was 16 year old and preceded to use what I learned from building Type 1 VW's and my part time job at our local Porsche dealer to figure it out. By the time I was in my early 20's I was well into collecting what has frankly turned into a hoard of Porsche's (primarily AC, but the occasional modern) and felt fairly well versed in the brand. So with that in mind I attempted to get involved in various ways: attending club events, drivers ed, drives, tech sessions, etc (this was pre-internet remember) and while I met a "few" wonderful enthusiasts MOST came across as condescending, pompous, old men who couldn't be bothered to help/answer questions from someone they viewed as a kid.I think the only reason I stuck around is a couple memorable good people and my internal weird streak to make people uncomfortable.... Literally I probably owned 20+ cars and had 20 years under my belt and some older members were still calling me "son"... Guys who literally didn't know jack but refused to listen to someone younger than them based strictly on that alone. I still laugh about the 70 yo guy who preceded to tell me how my 67S was twitchy, underpowered, unrefined and nobody would want one and preceded to "school" me about his new 1999 996 and how if I worked "hard" enough could one day have one.... Who's laughing now?

Now as a 46 year old enthusiast I am HYPER aware of how I speak to younger people if they express even the slightest amount of interest. I make sure I am NEVER condescending about their car or choices (even if its a model/style/modification that isn't to my taste). Many of these newer enthusiasts are working on transaxle cars (944 primarily), 986 Boxster, etc as those ARE the entry level Porsche of 2022. Be excited for them, offer your help, share why you love what you love without coming across as a know it all, etc are all the ways you help foster new enthusiasts.

This doesn't fix it in broad strokes, but it is one at a time. I also agree we need to be marketing not on message boards but IG, Tik Tok, Reddit, etc. Not places I like but again if our goal is to reach people not in our demographic....

[sebaroher Seabass Find all posts View Profile Close sebaroher]

For those in the Phoenix area with youngsters: PLEASE feel free to drop them off during the summer. We’ll teach them all kinds of things. What kind of things? We’ll start with

“This is a broom”.

View it as a summer parks and rec program.

After our daughter gets here and once she's old enough I'll definitely take you up on that offer

[Terminator 2.0L Find all posts View Profile Close Terminator]

I applaud JP for his thoughts on bringing younger people into the our sport. Problem is the world of reality. As some of you older folks have noticed, times are changing, and have changed a lot over the last decades. Interest and hobbies have changed as technology has evolved. Younger people for the most part have no interest in antique cars. Early 911’s fall into that category. People under 40 are tech driven.
Retired, my shop is at home now and my son lives here with me. His friends walk through the shop all the time on the way into my son’s quarters and always comment on these old cars. Cool, they might say. Never ask a question, other than how fast does it go. Their interest last about 60 seconds.
My son drives my 98 C2S often. That’s about as old as he would enjoy. I have a 67 912 SWT with 50K original miles by brother ordered new and picked up at the factory. He has no desire to even try it, as I know it would be a waste of time. Non supportive seat, big steering wheel, loud engine noise through the soft window…..
‘I saw my good friend George K has posted his progress on the 69 he bought from Frank a few years ago. One of the reasons he bought the project was so his under 16 son could work on it with him and learn. Hats off to George for that. Several years later his son is over 16 now and I wonder if his enthusiasm is where it was 4 years ago. I would guess not.
Take a minute to go over to the S Registry and read the long post from a guy in Stuttgart who has taken on the restoration of a rusty crusty 914. He posted a picture of himself today and he must be in his 20’s, and he is doing all the nastiest metal work himself. Now that is encouraging! It would cost over 50K to have it done and he is taking on the job himself, and is excited about it. That is exactly what the world needs, younger people wanting to work on a long project and be proud of his results. When he is done, he can, and should be proud.
Money is also a huge factor. As we all know, these air cooled cars all will need a engine rebuild at some point. So that’s 25K at least.Makes zero sence to the younger folks to own a old car needing that type of repair.
I am sure most of you have been to a 356 Holiday. The average age I would say is over 65. That’s where we are headed.

Damm Rick I am already there and my 30 year old son beard, pony tail and all has zero interest in any of my cars these days.

[Theunz 2.0L Find all posts View Profile Close Theunz]

Doug and Rick, I commend you for “giving rides”. One of my principal beliefs is there’s no point of having a passenger in a performance car unless I can scare the holy crap out of them. Especially customers.
My wife might be the exception because the consequences are grave.

I somewhat agree while disagreeing with Frank. Newer cars are so antiseptically clean and quiet (performance exhaust excluded) that even something with two or three times more power just doesn’t offer as much excitement as an old sports car. The rattles, the wind noise, the sound the shifter makes moving through gears, the smell of unburnt fuel exiting the exhaust, and just the feel of a lightweight car being tossed around by the bumps and irregularities of the road offer an experience they’ve had before. Now, a real thrill ride as Frank mentions would certainly seal the deal.

[mathieulecomte '65 Bahama 912 Find all posts View Profile Close mathieulecomte]

Well I think younger crowds have different interest because that's not what they had on the poster on the wall of their bedrooms 20 years ago - but one the biggest barriers to enter the hobby in my opinion is the cost, early 911 prices make it difficult to get in...